Microsoft’s Ballmer falls far down list of CEO ‘wealth creators’

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer fell 65 spots down a list of the top 338 chief-executive wealth creators and destroyers, ranking 73rd in 2010 after boasting the No. 8 spot in 2009.

Ballmer

ChiefExecutive.net’s annual list ranks CEOs on their performance during the past year. Ballmer, who is in his 11th year as Microsoft’s headpiece, got an F grade in the “economic margin change” category. He earned A’s in each of the three other categories: market value of invested capital, three-year economic margin and management quality.

Microsoft stock started the year at $30.95 per share and was $28.07 after the markets closed today — a more than 9 percent drop. Unless it takes a nosedive in the next few days, MSFT’s lowest price this year was $23.01 on June 30.

Meanwhile, Apple CEO Steve Jobs jumped 31 spots to No. 4 and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos fell one position to No. 5. At the top of the list was Priceline.com CEO Jeffery Boyd, who was not ranked in 2009.